Self-Reliance

I was first introduced to Emerson by my mother, an English teacher. She was the same woman who placed C.S. Lewis and Shakespeare and Solzhenitsyn and other literary giants in my hands. Among all of the wealth she shared with me when I was still in my teens, it was Emerson...dear Emerson...that stole my heart. He was "my guy" then and still is decades later.Upon my first read, this book grabbed me as a manifesto against the bleakness of conformity. Back then, my favorite quote was: "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string."Upon this fresh read, a new quote called to me: "When we discern justice, when we discern truth, we do nothing of ourselves, but allow a passage to its beams."This update of his classic Self-Reliance is brilliantly done. It highlights a quote on each page in bright red, adding to the vibrancy and stark truth that emanates from Emerson's words.It also includes several supplementary quotes by both classics and contemporaries. This is among my favorites, by Pam Slim: "We look for ourselves in many places - meditation retreats, personality assessments, Twitter rankings. But the best place to find the reason why we were put on earth is a private moment immersed in our craft. In that sacred instant, we see without a reasonable doubt that we were made to create, and contribute."Every writer, artist, creative, and life explorer would be wise to carry this gem on their journey to keep them grounded and connected to their truth while allowing for all the glory and breadth of the vast horizon of possibility.We need these continual reminders when the storms come. Why? To stay strong. As Emerson would say... "God will not have his work made manifest by cowards."Be daring in your vulnerability and persistent in the pursuit of your truth. There is no greater teacher than Emerson to show you the way.Mollie Marti, JD, PhDAuthor of "WALKING WITH JUSTICE: Uncommon Lessons from One of Life's Greatest Mentors"

Domino Project does it again! What a great piece of wisdom re-launched so well for a digital age. Emerson summarizes his own contribution when he says, "No greater men are now than ever were."We, or at least I, tend to worship wisdom from the latest guru. Perhaps it's Seth Godin, or Tom Peters, or .... Maybe it is the world of digital instantness that put more faith in what was just said than what was said a hundred years ago. "How can their world be relevant to ours?", we often think. Ha! I give to you some highlights I made in my Kindle edition: * There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at he conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide. * If we live truly, we shall see truly. * Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string. * It is easy to see that a greater self-reliance must work a revolution in all the offices and relations of men.These were just a few of Emerson's pearls. And the few that worked from my oyster. Pick up the book and find your own.

I must be truthful and admit that I had never even attempted to read Ralph Waldo Emerson's 1841 essay on Self-Reliance til I was presented with this delightful re-packaging. Of course, I am familiar with the most famous quote: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." But there is more to it than that. Emerson, one of the most famous American philosophers of the mid-nineteenth century, was obsessed with the notion of non-conformity, i.e. individualism, and the many ways it can be expressed.The clever layout of the book enables the reader to skim through and read - in large red type - a selection of incisive quotes from the essay. Also included are tiny, relevant quotes from historical figures such as Galileo and Thomas Edison, celebrities such as Meryl Streep and Judy Garland and famous authors including Leo Tolstoy and F. Scott Fitzgerald. A small quibble: I wish these contributors were listed in an index at the back of the book, with each one identified. I also wish a bit more background on Emerson himself had been included. A brief bio along with the date of the original essay (1841) would be a great addition to the book.As 19th century prose tends towards the wandering and the obfuscatory, this tiny volume is not an easy read. But it's worth the additional effort. A huge thank you to The Domino Project for the brilliant idea of serving up Ralph Waldo Emerson in a palatable format. You can read it on a Kindle but I'd recommend buying the hardcover so you can appreciate the layout.

A must read that should be on everyone's list, along with Thomas Paine's Common Sense. These are the men that shaped our Country and their words are just a pertinent today as the day they written. There is no leftest or right-wing in these books it is about what we all should be doing! Read on and learn from the past as they say, you are doomed to repeat History is you do not learn from it, and look at where we are at in today's society. I want it all, but I don't want to work for it....cries the students on campuses, I want a safe place, cry more students...Glad they did not come over to found this Fabulous Country they would have died off in the first Winter wondering what happened....Or where's my Mommy & Daddy's money???

Were it not for the fact that this book came from the Domino Project, I probably wouldn't have read it.Which is a shame...it hit me at a perfect time in my life and I feel like it has super-charged my self-confidence as well as my sense of purpose. The encouragement to be true to yourself (he basically says that imitation is outsourcing your creative thinking) hit me hard and was super-relevant.I found the writing to be profound, having to put the book down after a few pages to digest it.I also loved the quotes by more contemporary thinkers about Emerson. It added to the overall experience. I've blogged about this book on my own [...] and already convinced 3 people to buy it.So glad that I took the time to read it.Disclosure: I did receive a copy for free as a member of the Domino Street Team.

This book is great. You will understand why Ralph Waldo Emerson is known for. I recommend that you read it carefully

Versione economica del capolavoro di Waldo.

Good product

Absolutely awesome book especially for how cheap it is and how much knowledge it holds. EVERYONE should read this book.

This essay sucks you in and leads along the corridors of self reliance effects. Emerson lays his argument bit by bit without a sense of repetitiveness